NEW YORK – Not to be outdone by Banksy, everyone’s favorite enigmatic Parisian, Space Invader, visited New York in November, following on the heels of Banksy’s October “Better Out Than In.”

Space Invader is named after the 1970s video game of the same name. He (I’m assuming he, but the artist remains anonymous) composes tiled mosaics of a variety of characters.

I mistakenly thought he simply recreated the characters in his namesake video game. At first, I didn’t understand the appeal. Because Space Invader’s mosaics so skillfully mimic the pixilation of vintage Nintendo games, the work seemed blurry, and possibly mocking my less-than-amazing vision. The mosaics however, warrant a second look, and inspiration comes from all kinds of video games, movies, and cartoons.

The piece that first changed my mind was a mosaic Snow White perched above the Olympia Restaurant on the corner of Delancey and Essex Street. The bright primary colors were so striking, I took a moment to step back, and suddenly the Disney favorite revealed herself.

From then on, I was excited to find a small cartoon monkey at 90 Bowery, an apple that plays on the I Heart New York campaign, and even a classic Space Invader, which seemed more expressive than others I’d seen before. Its black eyes appeared to be giving me side-eye from the wall of the Bushwick Collective, perhaps smirking at my initial skepticism.

Space Invader’s time in New York was sadly cut short by an arrest, but I have a feeling he won’t stay away for long. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for Invader’s short film Art4Space, first screened in New York, but hopefully destined for wider release.

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